Castle

Hi All, There are replacements on Shapeways - Type in Stafford Road Model Works and you will find what you are looking for: https://www.shapeways.com/shops/stafford_road_model_works I haven’t tried the bogies either but their N34 loco coal wagon conversion kit for the Dapol hopper as featured on Little Didcot was good. Like Mikel, no connection- just a happy customer. I hope this helps! All the best, Castle

Thanks Johnster! All the best, Castle

Hi All, If it’s of any interest to readers of this thread, I have posted my build using the Oxford TOAD on my Little Didcot thread here: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/51212-little-didcot/page-44&do=findComment&comment=3017181 All the best, Castle

Making a Mess (van)! Hi All, As a diversion from the tool and riding vans that await a few finishing touches before I put them up here on Little Didcot, I decided to take two perfectly acceptable, brand new models and chop them into bits! A little heavy to industrial grade RTR bashing... The subject of this build is an ex TOAD and one of the more unusual ‘freight’ vehicles at the railway centre. Diagram AA2 TOAD No. 56867 was built in 1905 as part of Lot 477. This was a 20 (later 25) ton version of the related AA3 TOAD 14 (later 16) ton Brake Van which is represented in the GWS collection by No. 56400 and has featured here in the pages of Little Didcot in the form of an etched Frogmore Confederacy kit. In 1952 , there was obviously a need for some new accommodation in the S&T department and as a result, this brake van was converted to become a mess van. This conversion involved filling in the veranda and adding a door in place of the gate. The long foot steps are removed as is most of the brake gear. It ended up with shoes on one side only and with long Morton style levers on either side. It also had through piping for the vacuum brakes in the train. It retained a stove, albeit relocated, and another window was fitted to the third panel of the original TOAD body each side. It became No. DW 263 after conversion and was initially allocated to Fishponds in Bristol if the Works picture in figure 334 in J. H. Russell’s succinctly titled book ‘Freight Wagons and Loads in service on the Great Western Railway and British Rail, Western Region’ (!) is anything to go by... It is still used as accommodation for staff and as such, continues in the group of vehicles at Didcot in what I refer to as ‘pure’ preservation - still doing the (albeit second!) job it was designed for all those years ago. The road to a model of No. DW 263 has been a somewhat circuitous route. I initially bought a second etched AA3 kit but not only was this a lot of work, the fact that Oxford Rail came out with their own version of the AA3, caused a rethink. Plastic is a lot easier to modify than brass and a quick look at the Oxford model shows the one of the biggest problems people have had with the model, the centre end window, is the correct end window for No. DW 263. In fact, at £12 - £14 each, buying two is not a problem so we can have two non - veranda ends is more than feasible. A friend of mine has also expressed an interest in building one of the small AA7 TOADs. The parts left over should give us enough to at least make a start on this. The model, whatever it’s pros and cons, is very finely moulded and is held together by friction which makes for very easy dismantling and modifications! Well done Oxford! Having stripped the two TOADs down to their component parts, the cutting commenced! In order to have maximum potential material for both the mess van and the AA7 project, I cut the two panels from the first body shell, leaving the roof intact. The second shell needs to have its veranda end removed and three body panels and the roof left intact. I then used one of the chassis to correctly space the ends and stick the modified shell together. The last cuts to be made were the two windows that are in the third panels of the original van ends. Then, using various bits of sheet and square/ rectangular section styrene and some 0.45mm wire to form the handrails, the door was formed. The chassis has brake shoes on one side only and Morton levers on both, using a combination of original Oxford parts and some old etchings from the scrap box, the brakes were added. A wagon label holder was also on the same etch so that was added too... Then, using the step boards, they were cut up and the steps below the doors were made. On one side, the lower step support is partly an original step board support and the the second is a flat bar threaded through the brake gear. Lamp irons and vacuum hoses (the vehicle is through piped) were added and the body painted. The chassis was also painted... ...as were the buffers. These are Oxford’s own and despite my reservations about using them (I always reach for a packet marked Lanarkshire Model Supplies here!), with primer, they are beginning to look good! Top coats of white for the roof and black for the rest was then laid on over a couple of different evenings, allowing the paint to sufficiently dry for masking to be done. I use a bright silver for the buffer shanks and a dull iron colour for the buffer heads. I have had to reuse the interior moulding as it is part of the spacing arrangements for the chassis and body so back it went. The worst bit about the chassis is fitting scale couplings, which involves the removal of all of the chassis moulding between the angled frames underneath to gain the required clearances. Then it was the fun and games of tiny little letters to do the correct markings on the vehicle. The original was allocated to Bristol but as I have a friend that worked at Reading Signal Works and I want to eventually set a layout in the London division, I chose to reallocate it to Reading! We set our models in different and sometimes fictional locations so why shouldn’t we reallocate the vehicles as well? A smattering of weathering and glazing later... ...and we have another member of the Little Didcot fleet completed! A thought occurs - I have the brass kit still, and as I model a period between 1947 and 1956, maybe I could build it as TOAD No. 56867 as well, adding another and very welcome brake van to the fleet. Is that too naughty to have two versions of the same vehicle in the collection? I could be really cheeky and put them in the same train! You really would have to know your GWS vehicles to know the difference. You be the judge. As always, it can be our little secret... Well, that was fun and I don’t know if I’m the first to do such a big conversion of the Oxford TOAD here on RMWEB but I would like to think that I was at least on the leading edge! That leaves the unfinished business of the AA7 TOAD but as I haven’t started that yet that will have to be a tale for another time. In the meantime, I have a tin of TOAD parts ready and waiting for the job to begin! All the best, Castle

Hi Les, This is a beautiful layout - I have really enjoyed catching up with it this morning over a cup of tea! Keep up the good work! All the best, Castle

Hi Phil, We definitely need to see a photo of this one - sounds very interesting! All the best, Castle

Hi Ric, Both of these vans will be vandalised, er, I mean modified to make 2 different vehicles. One is for Little Didcot and the leftovers from that will give me enough bits for the other one which is for a friend. And don’t be silly, I’m not using aerials - it’s going to have a satellite dish and Wi-fi of course... All the best, Castle

Hi All, Whatever the issues may or may not be with these, they are competitively priced and very easy to take to bits! Let Castle bodgery commence! All the best, Castle

Nice job! I think we ought to watch the Dambusters and Gremlins... All the best, Castle

Thanks Pete! That will save a climb! All the best, Castle

Hi Rich, I would offer to go and have a look but that won’t help will it as the coach at DRC is presumably in its BR condition in terms of the roof? If it’s any good I can have a climb and take a picture or two. All the best, Castle

Hi Scott, Is this any use at all? All the best, Castle

HI Paul, I had been there and thanks again for continuing to maintain this vital resource. The problem I had was that the photos that were early BR we black and white and sometimes black and red look a bit similar, hence the questions here if anyone had first hand experience of them back in the day. Thanks! All the best, Castle

Hi Scott, Well done - looking good thus far good sir! All the best, Castle

Hi All, Here we go then! This is No. 56. Built in 1908. It’s used as occasional staff accommodation and general storage. A few things have been changed but it is essentially as it left BR Service. We entered via the guard’s compartment. The guard’s seat is on the other side, against the wall to the officials compartment. This is the end withcthe chimney and the two windows. The signage above the seat is original BR(W). As is the BOC sign on the adjacent wall! Although not operational, most of the brake gear is intact except for the missing setter which should be on the top of the open pipe. This is on the portion to the workers compartment. The official’s compartment has padded sides next to the beds. The mattresses are obvious modern replacements but the originals are stored for when the vehicle is restored to museum display only condition one day. Under the bunks are 2 long storage draws per side. On the one wall is just the door and then a space... ... and on the other, a door and then a sink and water tank arrangement. Stored along the top edges of the walls in here are some P/Way gauges both sides. Notice that all windows have rolling blinds and not curtains. This end also remarkably has an unrestored but complete gas lamp assembly. Moving into the workers end, against the partition are two cupboards. The flooring throughout is of the diagonal board type - the same as was found in the broad gauge era. Under the centre windows are two little seats / chests. Sorry about the picture! The far end has bunks as well and can be set up with two bunks either side. It’s just a less plush version of the official’s end and has a door in the end instead of the heater. It has original BR(W) water fire extinguishers in a rack. The third one is still in the van but has been removed to be emptied. The vehicle has a modern extinguisher in the guard’s compartment. This compartment also has gauges at the tops of the walls. No. 1 was also built in 1908. This is used as a rolling store for the buildings and structures department and as such is full of their stuff! Of interest just inside the doors are the small swing out derricks that were used for lifting equipment in and out of the vehicle. There isn’t much original stuff inside the van as it is essentially a store on wheels! These pigeon hole like units are on opposite sides of the centre doors. I hope that was useful or at least vaguely interesting! All the best, Castle

Hi All, I’ve got a load of pictures of the insides of No’s. 56 & 1 at DRC which are the most original of the two pairs at DRC. Are they of interest? All the best, Castle

Hi Scott, I too have used 2 of these kits - one on a Comet Hawksworth kit to make No. 231 and the other in its unadulterated form to do an Airfix job to create No. 190. It’s a good kit and looks really nice on finishing. If I can help at all, let me know! One thing I did do to make the second one easier was use a Comet chassis so the carving up of the old plastic version wasn’t needed. All the best, Castle

Hi All, Black Bituminous paint is still around - the inside of water tanks on the locos at 81E are recipients of said finish! All the best, Castle

Hi All, Absolutely MIB! Phoenix paints and the newer cans of Humbrol acrylic varnishes can do similar and looks good on an old wagon / coach. For stuff that I paint that needs a great finish, I use the recommended Phoenix varnishes - gloss to get the transfers to sit down and behave and then the matt on top. After the initial reaction, it settles down and sticks just as well as always! There is no problem on pre painted RTR stuff and if you go over Halfords or any other acrylics. All the best, Castle

Absolutely - the super saloons are a must for Little Didcot as there are three of the things there! Surely a special MUST have come through at some point?

Hi Darwinian, It takes a lot of effort to be this lazy... All the best, Castle

Hi All, I have both the books in that series and they above a good overview of what went on in the goods operations. As Mike says, there are some excellent pictures in the two volumes as well! I got mine with GWS member discount at Didcot’s shop. All the best, Castle

PS: I really am quite lazy - matt black out of a Halfords rattle can is about 98% less set up that GWR wagon grey out of an air brush...

Hi All, That’s the idea - cover it with loads of weathering so nobody can tell if it’s black or grey! Don’t tell anyone, but it’s what I did for Little Didcot’s coal wagon. Shhhhhhhhh... All the best, Castle

I have a full Comet kit but it was a Christmas present from Mrs Castle so cost is a bit neither here nor there really if you see what I mean. The only bit of the Comet kit for these and the super saloons I don’t like is doing the angled ends. It’s a bit of a fiddle so I can see the appeal of using the RTR body! I will have to have a think about that one... All the best, Castle